The Errol Flynn Blog

Dec 13th  – 15th, 2011, Cairns

On Oct 3rd  I’ve told you, that I’d be in Australia in
December trying to follow Errol’s path with the Sirocco in 1930. Well, today is
Thursday, Dec 15^th.

In Cairns for 2 days now. Been
walking along the streets near today’s town centre looking for buildings EF
must have seen or places he must have walked by. Today Cairns hosts around
120.000 citizens.

Not much seems to be left. In 1930
Cairns wasn’t actually much of a town (being founded only in 1876). Today it’s
quite touristy – lot’s of Japanese & backpacker’s from all over the world.
Lot’s of young people, too

In “Beam Ends” EF mentions entering “the
lovely little harbor of Cairns”. Unfortunately I couldn’t find photos of old,
but today there’s a modern yacht club with lot’s of charter business to the
reef and the islands near the coast. However, the old wharf is (to me) still
recognizable. But see for yourself by the attached photos. A another still
existing landmark, e.g., is the Hides Hotel. EF MUST have seen it. I happen to
sit on the first floor patio writing this now.

Remember EF’s description of his
railway trip from Cairns to Mareeba? “A town several hundred miles from the
coast”, as EF states. Well, actually it’s only approx. 50 miles or so. However,
today you can take the “Kuranda Scenic Railway” to Kuranda about halfway to
Mareeba. There’s still no other way up to the upper tablelands (by train, that
is), so I’m positive EF must have taken the same route. Not much change here,
either. The Kuranda railway station still looks like 80 years ago. The train I
rode in can be called historic as well. Yet, the 90 min journey down through
rainforest back to Cairns definitely can’t qualify for being called “the black
hole of Calcutta” J (see attached photo)

Been to Cairns Historical Museum
this afternoon. Browsed through hundreds of photos from 1930. No mentioning of
EF.

Pick up my camper tomorrow morning
and off to Townsville, my next stop.

— Volker